2019 – thanks for the lessons. 2020 – let’s do this! Fiona Blayney reflects on the past 12 months and encourages you to factor in personal circumstances to create greater happiness in the new year.

When people have asked me in recent months how I am, one of my go-to responses has been “excitedly exhausted”.

While 2019 won’t go down in the books as the best year in my life, I am learning to find the gifts within it.

That’s what you’re meant to say when things have been tough, right?

Seriously though, it has been a big year in a range of ways.

I know the industry feels the same from the most common keynote session selected from my annual repertoire, as well as the resounding themes that adorn the pages of event schedules around the country.

My favourite session has been ‘debunking the work-life balance myth’.

In it, we discuss everything from the lessons I learnt as a youngster, through to the challenges I have now, at 43, with keeping all of the balls in the air.

As attendees nod their heads in unison, we agree that we all overshoot what we can achieve in a year.

It’s these unreasonable expectations we put on ourselves that can often create a feeling of hopelessness, and a sense of underachievement.

I’ve got a few missions this year for you all when it comes to doing your 2020 planning, but as an overarching principle my mission is for you to be kinder, expect less (yes, you expect too much in one year), challenge yourself and your team, and be more authentic when it comes to setting your goals for the year ahead.